Rowling-ball returnway.



E. SCHLOSSBERG.

BOWLING BALL RETURNWAY. APPLICATION FILED APR. 1, 1915.

Patented July 6, 1915.

WITNESSES.

INVE/VTUR [mil SUhZwse/y A TTOR/V E V a ball returnway which 'dent of the city of New York,

lEMIL SCJHLOSSZBJERG, OF NEW YORK, N.-

Y., ASSIGNOR or ONE-HALF- ro THE DECKER COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

BOWLING-BALL RETUBNWAY.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EMIL SCHLOSSBERG, a subject of the Czar of Russia, and a resi- Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, h proved Bowlin the following is scription.

y invention relates -Bal1 Returnway, of which a full, clear and exact dcto bowling ball returnways, and has reference more particularly to a ball returnway in which the balls are delivered on to a rack located at the front of the alley over and at the ball terminal.

An object of the invention is to provide is simple, strong, eflicient difi'erent rack.

A further object of the invention is to provide a ball returnway wherein balls which did not reach the rack for some cause and inexpensive diameter can be directed on to the will be prevented from rolling toward the pit of the alley.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a dusting device for the balls directed to the rack, which duster is preferablyassociated with the trap which is adapted to direct the balls coming from'the hallway on to the rack.

With the above and the nature of which will more fully appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as herein fully described, illustrated and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of the application, similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Flgure 1 is a side elevation of the front end of a ball returnway embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a section on line 22, Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3, Fig. 1; and Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the trap with the dusting device.

.Referring. to the drawings, the ball track which runs up in a curved irection at thefront end, as shown'at 6, and abuts againsta post 7, which'carriesa resilient member 8 above the track to rebound a-ball coming thereagainst from the track 5. Located above the track 5 is a ball rack 9 one end of which is in close prox- V Specification of Letters Patent.

borough of ave invented a new and Im-.

whereby balls of other objects in view,

' mally either the large balls from rolling toward the pit carrier 15 which has flanged at the opposite ends as shown at 17.

. the carrier, 5 represents Patented July 6, 1915.,

Application filed April 1, 1915. Serial No. 18,456.

imity. to the curved portion 6 of the track. The rack 9 is supported from the ball track 5 by brackets 10 at a suitable distance to clear a large size ball. The end of the rack adjacent the curved portion carries a swinging trap 11 which is adapted to bridge the spacebetween the-rack and the curved portion. This trap is intended as a retarder for the balls running up'the curved portion 6 of the track, and also as a guide for directing the balls coming from the curved por-, tion.6 onto the rack 9. -A resilient mem-. ber 12 is associated with the trap to insure the quick return of said trap to its normal position, shown in full lines in Fig. 1.

A pair of swinging padded tongues 13 are secured'to the under side of the rack 9 which will permit post 7 but will prevent the ball from rolling back toward the pit if the ball did not pass beyond the trap 11 or did not reach the same; The tongues 18 are preferably located within the brackets 10 to give a neater appearance to the ball return, The reason for providing two tonguesis to utilize the space between the tongues as a rack for duck-pin balls. This is obtained by dropping a large ball against the tongue 13, to the left hand of Fig. 1, to lock the same, while the right-hand tongue 13 is used as a trap for duck pin balls which are prevented from passing beyond the left-hand tongue by the large ball resting, against it. Norof the tongues 13 will prevent and thus force the attendant of the alley to run toward the ball to drive the same back on to the rack.

Straddling over the trap 11 is a brushs'ide openings 16 Located within the carrier 15 is a semi-circular brush 18 provided at the ends with flanges 19 engaged with the openings 16 of the carrier, said brush facing the trap 11. It has a threaded stud 20 projecting through and which stud carries a butterfly 21. Resilient members 22 engage the opposite sides of each flange. The upper springs 22 (see-Fig. 3) are slightly stronger than the lower springs 22, so that normally a slight pressure is exerted by the upper springs on the brush. By means of the butterfly 21 the brush 18 can be adjusted, within the carrier and also the pressure of the a ball to roll toward the v of the track it raises the trap spring 22 on the brush varied. In addition to the brush 18 a flexible apron 23 is secured to the brush 18 to cover the side of the carrier facing the rack 9, whereby the passing balls are dusted,and the resistance of the brush and apron reduces the speed thereof when coming on to the rack.

' As a ball 2& rolls up the curved portion 6 11 which will retard the movement of the ball 24: and the same will come in contact with the resilient member 8 which will cause the ball to rebound and roll back over the curved portion 6 of the track. The trap 11 being restored to its normal position will direct the ball through the carrier 15, where the same will be brushed and simultaneously wiped by the apron 23 while passing through the carrier. The ball so delivered by the rack 9 will be clean and ready for use.

When a large ball engages the left-hand tongue 13, which prevents the said ball from running toward the pit, a following ball coming to the rack is prevented from striking the ball by the tongue, and, consequently, injury is prevented to the balls by the intact of one by the other by the provision of the spring tongue, as can beeasily seen.

While I have described the principle of operation, together with the device which I now consider to be the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that the device shown is merely illustrative and that such changes may be made as are within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a ball returnway, a ball track which has its forward end curved upwardly, a rack over said track adjacent the curved end thereof, a trap bridging said rack from the curved end of the track for directing the balls rolling back from said curved portion of the track on to the rack, and means be- .tween the rack-and the straight portion of the track mounted to allow a ball to roll toward the curved end of the track but preventing a reverse rolling movement.

2. In a ball returnway, the combination of a ball track having its front end curved upwardly, a rack above said track, a trap normally bridging said rack with the curved portion of the track, and a. swinging member carried by said rack and lying in the path of a ball on the track, said being adapted to arrest the rolling movement of the ball after the ball has passed said member and tends to roll in a direction from the front to the rear of the track.

3. In a ball returnway, the combination of a ball track tlfe front end of which is curved upwardly, a rack above said track. a swinging trap bridging the rack with the curved portion of the track, and swinging .tongues swinging member suspended from said rack and adapted to be displaced by a ball rolling toward the curved end of the track, said tongues having means preventing them from swinging in the opposite direction, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. In aball returnway, the combination of a ball track having its front end curved upwardly, a rack above said track, a swinging trap normally bridging said rack with the curved portion of the track, a brush associated with the rack for brushing the balls coming from the curved portion of the track to the rack, and a flexible apron associated with the brush to dust the balls after the same have been brushed.

5. In a ball returnway, the combination of a ball track having its front end curved upwardly, a rack above said track, a gravitationally operable trap normally bridging said rack with the curved track, and a ball-dusting device carried by the trap, said ball-dusting device including a flexible apron.

6. In a ball returnway, the combination of a ball track having its front end curved upwardly, a rack above said track, a gravitationally operable trap normally bridging said rack with the curved portion of the track, a bracket associated with the trap, a brush resiliently suspended in said bracket over said track, and a flexible apron carried by said bracket.

7 In a ball returnway, the combination of a ball track having its front end curved upwardly,a.rack above said track, a trap normally bridging said rack with the curved portion of the track; and a ball cleaning device on the bridging portion adapted to form a retarder for the ball coming from the curved portion of the track on to the rack.

8. In a ball returnway, a ball track which has its forward end curved outwardly, a rack over said track adjacent the curved end thereof, a trap bridging said rack with the curved end of the track for directing the balls rolling back from said curved portion EMIL soHLossBERe. Witnesses:

" B. JOFFE,

PHILIP D.- ROLLHAUS.

portion of the 

